NRCA Resources

A note from NRCA's president

Do you think there's a lot that happens between one year's International Roofing Expo® (IRE) and NRCA annual convention and the next? 2009 certainly was a good example of that happening. A shrinking U.S. economy and rapidly expanding federal government gave us never-ending headlines during the past year.

How about during the past decade? Intensive and extensive vegetative roof systems have been introduced; seven major hurricanes hit U.S. shores during a two-year period; and we've been given a choice between laminated thin-film and rack-mounted crystalline photovoltaic panels.

Fortunately for roofing professionals, there is one thing that has remained constant—the opportunity to stay connected to the rapid pace of change and to each other through NRCA's annual convention and the IRE. Of course, even these events have witnessed some change during the past decade: NRCA sold the trade show to Hanley Wood LLC, Washington, D.C., in 2004, setting the stage for further growth of our yearly gathering.

Getting connected is what the IRE and NRCA's convention are all about, and this year, we'll have many opportunities to do so. Contractors, manufacturers, distributors, designers and engineers, facility managers and building owners will have more ways than ever to get informed and connected. In addition to trade show exhibits, live demonstrations and educational programs to keep us informed, we'll have numerous opportunities to connect with and celebrate our industry through the IRE Welcome Party and NRCA's luncheon and Cocktail and Awards Reception. We'll also connect on a global scale as we welcome our international colleagues and host NRCA's international affiliates.

And speaking of change during the past decade, what better place than New Orleans to spend time making a difference for others? To offer some help locally, we've arranged a Community Service Day during which we'll offer our help to New Orleans through a home renovation and revitalization project.

Recognizing the challenges we face as a nation, NRCA's political action committee, ROOFPAC, will hold an auction at NRCA's booth 2827 on the trade show floor. The auction will offer a much-needed opportunity to fund the association's efforts in Washington, D.C., at a time that is, unfortunately, more critical than ever. If you are concerned about our country's future, I encourage you to stop by and become an active participant. If you can't make it to the show, you can become involved by contacting NRCA's Washington, D.C., office.

Perhaps as a result of the Great Recession or the tremendous winds of change swirling around us, it seems the roofing industry is as connected as ever. This is a real asset to the roofing industry's future as our strength in numbers will allow us to do good things to benefit ourselves, the industry and its consumers.

Regards,

Robert McNamara

Don't miss NRCA's convention events

NRCA will host numerous events during its 123rd Annual Convention Feb. 20-24 in New Orleans.

To help meet the educational needs of roofing professionals at all levels, NRCA University will hold its educational programs on Sunday, Feb. 21. CERTA Train-the-trainer Authorization will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and For Foremen and Superintendents Only and Roofing Industry Fall Protection From A to Z will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Also Feb. 21, the National Roofing Legal Resource Center will hold its annual breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m.

During the breakfast, Rene Dupuis, president of Structural Research Inc., Middleton, Wis.; Mark Graham, NRCA's associate executive director of technical services; and Stephen Phillips, a partner with the Atlanta-based law firm Hendrick, Phillips, Salzman & Flatt, will discuss how attendees can limit their liability and protect themselves from numerous legal, technical and business concerns.

ROOFPAC, NRCA's political action committee, will hold a sporting clays tournament sponsored by Denver-based Johns Manville. Advanced, intermediate and beginner shooters are invited to participate at Louisiana's oldest sporting clays range—High Point Shooting Grounds in Belle Chasse. The event begins at 2:30 p.m.

On Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 22 and 23, ROOFPAC will hold a silent auction at NRCA's booth 2827. Sponsored by GAF Materials Corp., Wayne, N.J., the auction is intended to generate funds to support pro-business candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Closing time for the auction will be 4 p.m. Feb. 23.

Also on Feb. 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., NRCA will hold its annual awards luncheon sponsored by CNA Insurance Cos., Chicago. The event will feature a presentation by Steven Strong, president of Harvard, Mass.-based Solar Design Associates Inc., a group of engineers and architects dedicated to designing environmentally responsive buildings and engineering and integrating renewable systems to power them.

In addition, the J.A. Piper Award will be presented during the luncheon to a roofing professional who has demonstrated outstanding service to NRCA and the industry.

Also on Feb. 23, NRCA will host its cocktail and awards reception from 5 to 7 p.m. The event will feature a special awards program to formally recognize recipients of NRCA's Gold Circle Awards and 2010 Charlie Raymond Award, as well as The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress' Most Valuable Player Awards and the Best of the Best Award, which is sponsored by Professional Roofing and OMG Inc., Agawam, Mass.

NRCA's 123rd Annual Convention is taking place in conjunction with Washington, D.C.-based Hanley Wood's 2010 International Roofing Expo® (IRE). IRE exhibits will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, and Tuesday, Feb. 23, and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24.

NRCA University to offer PV seminar

NRCA University offers Rooftop Photovoltaics: Energizing Your Business, a seminar designed for roofing contractors, designers and specifiers who are interested in properly designing, installing or maintaining photovoltaic (PV) roof systems.

The one-day technical conference will address available PV technology; installation and application recommendations for low- and steep-slope applications; building codes and standards; regional and national tax credits and incentives, including those included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; and safety concerns.

Rooftop Photovoltaics: Energizing Your Business will be offered April 8 in Chicago; April 13 in Los Angeles; April 29 in Raleigh, N.C.; May 5 in Philadelphia; and May 27 in Dallas.

For more information or to register, visit www.nrca.net/nrcauniversity or contact NRCA's Customer Service Department at (866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722) or info@nrca.net.

Join NRCA On-Demand

NRCA members now can register for NRCA On-Demand, a new service that simplifies the process for purchasing NRCA products and registering for NRCA University programs. It also provides members with electronic access to many NRCA materials.

Members can choose to join the service at a 100- or 200-point level. The 100-point level is $500, and the 200-point level is $800. Members can use points to purchase hard copies of all NRCA products and register for NRCA educational programs. Ground shipping and handling fees are waived when points are used to purchase hard copies of products. Subscribers have the opportunity to purchase additional points, saving them money when purchasing NRCA products or registering for NRCA programs.

Depending on the subscriber's NRCA membership level, the service allows a certain number of users per subscription. Subscribers can authorize other members of their companies to use points to purchase NRCA products and register for educational programs.

NRCA members can register for NRCA On-Demand at www.nrca.net or shop.nrca.net.

For more information, contact Lara Beutler, NRCA's director of marketing, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7506 or lbeutler@nrca.net.

NRCA University offers online educational series

NRCA University offers its Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series, a self-paced online educational program that addresses sustainable roofing options, including vegetative roof systems, cool roofs and photovoltaic technology.

The Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series is divided into seven modules that explore energy programs, building and energy code requirements, tax and other incentive programs, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System,™ and other sustainable roofing practices. The series also features a tutorial for NRCA's EnergyWise Roof Calculator Online, which provides a method for constructing virtual roof assemblies to evaluate thermal efficiency and estimate energy costs.

Each module is $75 for NRCA members and $95 for nonmembers. For more information or to register for NRCA's Roofing, Energy and the Environment Series, visit www.nrca.net/nrcauniversity or contact NRCA's Customer Service Department at (866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722) or info@nrca.net.

NRCA introduces Pay It Forward program

NRCA's Community Service Committee has launched its Pay It Forward program to encourage roofing professionals to give back to their communities. The program helps match those in need with those who can help.

If you are willing to help someone in need in your community, consider providing NRCA with your contact information so you can be included on the Pay It Forward list. Once your company is on the list, you will not be obligated to provide labor or materials but will receive project information when NRCA learns of someone in need in your area. In return for helping someone, you can ask him or her to help someone else in need.

For more information or to be included on the Pay It Forward list, contact Chrystine Hanus, NRCA's director of meeting services, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7522 or chanus@nrca.net.

NRCA's manuals are available online

NRCA has made The NRCA Roofing Manual available in an electronic format as a membership benefit; each volume is available in the Members Only section of NRCA's Web site, www.nrca.net.

Members can view individual pages of each volume and zoom in on the text. Hard copies and CDs of the manuals also are available for purchase.

The NRCA Roofing Manual is a four-volume set that updates and supersedes The NRCA Roofing and Waterproofing Manual, Fifth Edition. The series' first volume, The NRCA Roofing Manual: Membrane Roof Systems—2007, was released in January 2007; the second, The NRCA Roofing Manual: Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems—2008, was released in January 2008; the third, The NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems—2009, was released in January 2009; and the fourth and final volume, The NRCA Roofing Manual: Architectural Metal Flashing, Condensation Control and Reroofing—2010, was released in January.

NRCA releases LEED® guide

NRCA has released A Roofing Professional's Guide to LEED,® a manual designed to help familiarize roofing professionals with the roofing-specific issues related to the most recognized sustainable building rating system, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.™

A Roofing Professional's Guide to LEED® contains background information, descriptions of possible roofing-related points for three of the most widely used project types and an explanation of LEED's professional credentialing program.

For more information or to order the guide, visit shop.nrca.net or contact NRCA's Customer Service Department at (866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722) or info@nrca.net.